Some of the top fighters competing in the recent Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event on the White House lawn are taking home a unique payout: crypto bonuses funded by the Trump family’s digital asset venture. World Liberty Financial recently confirmed that it will distribute up to $250,000 in bonuses using USD1, a US dollar-pegged stablecoin issued by the company.
Following the announcement, the crypto market reacted swiftly. The price of USD1 pushed above its $1 peg and held steady, while 24-hour trading volume skyrocketed by more than 93% to hit an impressive $2.38 billion.
Political Backlash and Conflict of Interest Claims
The “UFC Freedom 250,” held on the South Lawn to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial, drew heavy scrutiny from Congress due to its reported $60 million cost. The event featured heavy-hitting crypto sponsors, including prediction market Polymarket and exchange platform Crypto.com, which pledged $1 million in bonuses via its Cronos (CRO) token. However, it is World Liberty Financial’s involvement that has sparked the fiercest political debate.
Launched in 2024 by Trump family members, the company has found itself navigating allegations of corruption. Critics point to the president’s financial disclosures, which revealed his holdings in World Liberty exceed $50 million. Concerns only grew after Trump signed the GENIUS Act into law, creating a new regulatory framework for US payment stablecoins. A spokesperson for the Democratic National Committee, Jaelin O’Halloran, sharply criticized the UFC partnership, calling it a blatant opportunity for the president to use the power of his office to enrich his family.
In defense of the arrangement, White House spokesperson Davis Ingle firmly denied any wrongdoing. Ingle clarified that the president’s assets are managed entirely through a trust overseen by his children, asserting that no conflicts of interest exist. Despite the political noise, World Liberty continues to expand its financial footprint, boasting a pending application for a national trust charter and a major UAE company planning to use USD1 to settle a $2 billion Binance investment.
Legal Troubles: World Liberty vs. Justin Sun
While the company navigates political waters in Washington, it is simultaneously fighting battles in the courtroom. Earlier this year, Tron founder Justin Sun—a vocal supporter of the president and a massive holder of the TRUMP memecoin—filed a lawsuit against World Liberty.
Sun’s legal team alleges that the crypto firm froze his tokens and threatened to destroy them without proper justification. Despite the aggressive legal move against the president’s family business, Sun maintained that he continues to back the administration’s broader cryptocurrency policies. In response to the allegations, World Liberty fired back with a countersuit just weeks later, setting the stage for a high-stakes legal showdown within the crypto industry.
